Bloodied, Bruised, and broken, the lot of Orcs and Oni were out cold. Half still seemed to be couscous yet incoherent. None were left who could pose a threat. Nate marveled at Karah’s quick work and lamented it at the same time. The leader was clearly out cold with no signs of waking up.

  Just as he felt himself giving up on whatever twisted lesson his teacher was giving him, Darla stepped out. Her stance and general angry visage painted a clearly unhappy picture. Of course that wasn’t Nate’s problem, it was solely her own. An additional problem for her was the small tyrant was clearly in a bad mood. Nate wasn’t sure why but any extra fight would be welcomed by her with open arms.

  “What do you think you're doing out in front of the store? Normal people come here, you know that?”

  “Who’s this bitch? Another one of these Slags?”

  “Please try to leave her conscious. The teacher has a mysterious lesson for us here.”

  For the first time Nate saw magic glimmer around an orc. Darla’s magic twisted around her, he could tell instinctively that she’d gotten stronger. It was different from Karah who was just naturally strong. She lacked strengthening magic, which was clearly at play with the orc.

  An impressive light show but ultimately lacking in substance. The orc charged forward, her build overwhelming for someone normally at Karah’s size. The small girl caught the charge head on. For a brief moment she slid backwards the orcs arms grasped firmly in her hands. Her left foot stomped at the ground behind her and the orc came to halt.

  The force didn’t all go down and Darla was looking up at the sky before pain spread out from her back. Wind rushed out of her mouth as Karah stepped to her side. Her body had been flipped over Karah’s body and slammed back into the ground. Before she had a moment to recover a kick to her ribs sent the quickly inhaled breaths back out of her mouth once more.

  “Karah I said awake, and I meant for talking purposes.”

  Another foot landed sending the orc sliding across the ground this time. She’d ignored his order and Wayne raised an eyebrow at him from the other side of the car. Nate knew she wasn’t one to not listen. Still she was no puppet upon a string for Nate to make dance. He could sympathize with her not listening all the time but in moments like these it was another matter all together. Her problem needed to wait as they were already in deep with whatever Wayne had in mind.

  “Karah.”

  “WHAT!”

  “That's enough.”

  Nate kept his voice calm but commanding even as Karah grew ever more agitated. When she came to see red like this he’d always had a hard time stopping her. Now at least he had a few more options.

  She stepped toward the orc once more ready to bring her foot down. The bell of the door chimed as the Gopher ran out and jumped onto the orc’s body. It was a feeble, if not chivalrous, gesture. Karah cared not. Her foot descended all the same intent on casting the two into the front door of the gas station.

  “I said, That's enough.”

  A row of teeth shot out around the couple creating a defensive shield. The kick which was far from her full strength hit the enlarged fangs and bounced off. A roar of frustration left her mouth, scales started to cascade down her whole body. Just as they finished appearing a hand grabbed her wrist. Pulling her off the ground by a few inches.

  Fear swam around in a mixture of anger and displeasure all locked into Karah’s eyes. She looked into her captor’s face. Nate stared pensively down at her. His none too pleased face caused the scales to coil back into her body. That was a face she didn’t want to see. It was the face of someone that would abandon her.

  Panic blossomed into her chest spurred on by her fear. She shook as she tried in vain to release her wrist. All the strength at her disposal seemed to slip away. The desire to run and hide met a fierce competition with wanting him to tell her it's all ok. After a moment of struggle she let her body sag.

  The weight of her body pulled down on Nate. In his attempt to grab her, he’d used his injured arm. Blood was already bubbling up from the sutured wound. It still hadn’t fully healed. The repair was only good enough to move and not let him bleed. It wasn’t ready for something as strenuous as this. He could feel some of Karah’s emotions through the contract. The walls from during the ride slipped away as she filled with resignation.

  “Apologize.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “For?”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t listen. Please don’t throw me away.”

  Her voice was desperate. Nate didn’t know why she’d even think this given the terms of the contract. He was smart enough not to point the obvious out. Instead he brought her limpid body into his embrace. Patting her head gently.

  “Apology excepted. We’ll talk about what’s going on later ok? You know I won’t ever throw you away.”

  She sniffled a little before turning into warm motes of light and disappearing into the spirit house. He was left without his bruiser but that didn’t mean he was undefended. Not to mention if what Wayne said was true hadn’t he shown his strength over her? Leaning down he gave the Gopher a pat on the back.

  “Alright sorry about that she got a bit over zealous. Since you're one of the last one’s awake that means you’ve got to help tie everyone up. Or else.”

  Ten minutes and a pile of contained bikers later Nate walked back up to Wayne. He still wasn’t sure if this was all they needed to do or what? Either way he was at an impasse on where to proceed. It wasn’t like he was going to be taking in all of these monsters. There was a limit to the number of rooms within his first spirit house. He also doubted the capture spell would work on sending them all to the basement. Not to mention how they would be used from such a place.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “Teacher I’ve subdued them but what exactly am I to do with them?”

  “Well, You understand the use of power at least. Among the Oni did you find out any of their powers?”

  “Other than the ones I saw, not really. One had a small fire power, there was the stealth one, and I think one who made a body double. Karah knocked both out so I’m not sure if it's a clone or not. The rest I couldn’t tell you. I can question this one here.”

  Nate pointed down at the stealth Oni. She was tied up next to the car. Being the first he’d placed in bonds after the anti-climatic fight. Wayne leveled his gaze at him. The boy was tough, talented, but lacked that killer instinct. Sure, a ghost was a ghost, but to kill flesh and blood. It took more, he would need more from him.

  “Do you remember the lesson I taught you just now?”

  “The one on power or about Oni and Orcs?”

  “The Latter.”

  “Orcs are stronger than normal people and their tusks are worth money. Oni have minor strength but can use different magic. Their skull has a magic circle within.”

  “Close enough. Now with that information and knowing where we’re going, what here do we need?”

  “We are headed to a store. I see. Did we even need gas or was this all just a material run?”

  A silence fell over the two. Nate wasn’t all that pleased about being tricked into a fight. Obviously Wayne had messed with their senses to let them think they could get the upper hand. He’d made this whole situation for buying power. Had he been up front on the matter he’d have taken them out. It was fair in a way, but this left a bad taste in his mouth.

  “You're right, we need some goods to trade. More importantly you need goods to trade as someone without anything to offer.”

  “So I just harvest the tusks and we get moving? Easy enough.”

  Nate took a step toward the piled up bodies but stopped when he heard a sound come from his teacher. It was something between a scoff and a sigh. Looking back at him Nate searched for an answer amongst his facial features. None came.

  “Sir?”

  “This is a true lesson for you. I told you that we aren't mancers nor are we necro’s. We are Necromancers. What do you think that means?”

  “That we use the souls and bodies of the dead to do magic?”

  “No, it's about ethics. Necros don’t care about the harm they do even to the point that they will use the most vile forms of magic just because they can. Mancers are goody goodys, so similar to the druids they believe in a twisted balance. Taking only what's necessary or what is seemingly allowed.”

  “So we fall in the middle of that? Is that what you are saying?”

  “Precisely.”

  “But this isn’t about orc tusks.”

  Nate’s gaze fell heavily onto the woman. The oni’s crimson eyes widened at his gaze. She’d heard the conversation and had followed Nate to its conclusion. Muffled screams of terror and sobs for leniency struggled from her lips. What was the value of an Oni beyond being a servant? That was obvious, their head.

  “This one here could be fashioned into a useful cloak of stealth. They aren’t common items on the market. Better yet some potions call for skull dust of certain types. Wouldn’t that make for an excellent bargaining chip.”

  “I didn’t think you were this type of person sir.”

  “I’m not a person, I’m a Necromancer and so are you. Did you think you were going to go around saving damsels and spirits in need?”

  “I thought I’d be different from my days as a hoodlum. So you're saying I have to go further than that?”

  “Yes, much further. Even Necro’s will one day cower in fear at the things you will be willing to do. Mancers pull their punches. Trying not to kill, attempting to be better, do better. We can do anything to reach our goal, that's what makes us different.”

  “How is that any different from a Necro?”

  “We do it out of need; they do it for fun.”

  “Then this lesson, this test. Does it have a right answer?”

  Nate didn’t receive a response. Wayne left it up in the air. The crying Oni woman was regretting ever being born. She knew what it meant to be made into a skull. The pain she would experience for the rest of her existence as a skull. Soul bound unable to return to the underworld where her ancestors wait.

  “I’m going to remove your gag. If you scream I will have to go with the bad option. Do you understand?”

  Clutching at a sudden singular ray of hope the Oni nodded vigorously at him. Nate removed the gag with a gentle hand which the Oni took as a good sign. Maybe, this man would turn out to be a Mancer. Even if his teacher was a true blood, that didn’t mean he would be.

  “Can you speak?”

  “Yes. Please don’t kill me, I'll do whatever you want.”

  “You doing whatever I want is a given. Right now we are in a negotiation. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, but really whatever it is you want I can give it. Power, service, oh yes I can service you quite well.”

  “Enough of that. Let's start with a few questions in regard to your group. How does that sound?”

  “Oh course sir.”

  With ease the secrets, what little there were spilled from the Oni’s mouth. Each word extending her life and hopefully fulfilling whatever trade the man in front of her was initiating. Nate for his part was through on learning what he could from her. Wayne didn’t interfere.

  Their gang or clan as they called it were known as the Husk Raiders. A mid-sized outfit. They weren’t all present here today, only around a quarter of the members but the second in command was the old orc. He had been the leader of a larger clan some twenty years ago. After a defeat there he’d started a new clan in the Husk Raiders. Which had been inherited by his grandchildren. The Oni had become part of the clan when the former leader had married an Oni.

  Amongst his questions there were some she wasn’t particularly educated on. The locations of three stores catering to the occult were revealed but nothing more on that front. He extracted that they had some money stored and their own collection of magical items. She hadn’t personally seen their vault but for a mid-sized outfit it was nothing to scoff at.

  “Lastly, what magic can you do?”

  “Magic? Of course I can tell you. But it's not like that's relevant. You're going to let me go right? Right?”

  “Don’t worry you can place that on your side of the contract. But something of equal value will be needed. Do you understand?”

  Wayne silently appraised his students' decision. It lacked the killing edge he was looking for and yet. He felt the way he was taking this was still in line for a Necromancer. If they ended up with positive value then he would allow it. If not? He would have to consider when it occurred.